Midwestern Research Articles

Parental Factors Associated With Measles–Mumps–Rubella Vaccination in US Children Younger Than 5 Years

Objectives. To determine the association between parental characteristics and MMR (measles–mumps– rubella) vaccination status of children in the United States. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study from July 2023 to April 2024 using a digital health survey via OutbreaksNearMe, weighted to target national population characteristics. We analyzed the responses of 19 892 parents of children younger than 5 years to examine the association between self-reported parental characteristics (i.e., sociodemographics, politics, COVID-19 vaccination status) and children’s MMR vaccination rates using logistic regression. Results. Children of parents who received at least 1 dose of the COVID-19 vaccine had higher MMR vaccination rates (80.8%) than did children of unvaccinated parents (60.9%; odds ratio [OR] = 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.68, 2.00). We observed lower MMR vaccination rates among children of parents who identified as Republican versus Democratic (OR = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.64, 0.82), parents on Medicaid or Medicare versus private insurance (OR = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.76, 0.95), and minority (OR = 0.44) versus White (OR = 0.71) parents. We found higher MMR vaccination rates in the Northeast and Midwest United States. Conclusions. Early data indicate that parental sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 vaccine status are associated with children’s MMR vaccine uptake, emphasizing the need for further investigations into multipronged public health interventions. ( Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print January 16, 2025:e1–e5. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307912 )

First Report of Bacterial Wilt of Ginger Caused by Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum in the Continental United States

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is an herbaceous perennial in the Zingiberaceae family grown primarily in tropical to subtropical biomes as a culinary spice, a traditional medicine, and a landscaping plant. While ginger grows at soil temperatures above 20°C, several farmers in the upper Midwestern US farmers grows short-season ginger in high tunnels. In 2023 and 2024, growers in southeastern Minnesota reported a new disease of ginger. USDA traced the origin of the ginger rhizomes imported by these growers to Peru (Soto-Heredia et al., 2024). Plants exhibited wilting, chlorosis, pseudostem collapse, and plant death. Rhizomes were squishy with a fetid, rotting odor. Disease incidence ranged from scattered plants to 50% of the crop. Symptomatic samples tested positive for Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC) using AgDia ImmunoStrips. Rhizome tissue extracts plated onto CPG + 1% tetrazolium chloride agar and mSMSA agar produced irregular, round-to-fluidal white colonies with pink centers after 48 h of incubation at 28°C (Kelman 1954; Engelbrecht 1994). Diagnostic RSSC phylotype-specific multiplex PCR primers Nmult21:1F, Nmult21:2F, Nmult23:AF, Nmult22:InF, Nmult22:RR, and 759f/760r confirmed isolate identity; two isolates (UMN24-1, UMN24-2) yielded bands at 280 bp and 144 bp, identifying them as RSSC and phylotype I respectively (Fegan and Prior 2005; Opina et al. 1997). Additionally, 16S rRNA PCR of these isolates was sequenced using primers 27F (5’-AGAGTTTGATCMTGGCTCAG-3’)/1492R (5’-TACGGYTACCTTGTTACGACTT-3’) and shared >99% identity (isolate UMN24-1: 99.00% 27F, 99.53% 1492R; UMN24-2: 99.32% 1492R) with R. pseudosolanacearum (Rps) strain Gj707 (GenBank CP104497.1). Eight ginger plants in individual pots were grown in a Conviron growth chamber (28°C, 250 μmol/m2/s, 16 h photoperiod) and inoculated at the six-leaf stage (6 weeks old) by pipetting 109 CFU of the isolate, UMN24-1, suspended in sterile water into a 30°angled 1 cm incision on the pseudostem. We scored disease incidence based on wilted leaves per total leaves on each plant for 14 days post inoculation (dpi). While control plants remained healthy, inoculated plants showed symptoms (wilting, vascular discoloration, chlorosis) at 4 dpi, were 100% wilted by 6 dpi, and all pseudostems completely collapsed by 11 dpi (Fig. S1). Bacteria recovered from the inoculated plants matched the original isolate in appearance and positively identified as RSSC phylotype I using the PCR analyses described above. To confirm taxonomic identification of UMN24-1, the complete genome of this isolate was sequenced using hybrid Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing (NCBI BioProject ID PRJNA1178296, release date upon publication) (Fig. S2). Average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis of UMN24-1 using KBase’s FastANI app reported 99.8% identity shared with Japanese RSSC phylotype I strain MAFF311693 (GenBank GCF 015698385.1). We also sequenced UMN24-2, and its phylogenetic analysis revealed that the two isolates are clonal (Fig. S2). Hence, we did not submit its sequence to the NCBI. This marks the first documented case of Rps in ginger in the United States. Similar to bacterial wilt in ginger closely related crop like turmeric has been repeatedly reported in northern Europe in recent years (EPPO 2024). While RSSC phylotype I is geographically limited by its minimal cold tolerance, the emergence of a pathogen with a potentially broad host range has worrying implications in a changing climate.

An assessment of the performance evaluation of the salt industry in india with special reference to the state of Gujrat

The purpose of this article is to examine the financing and production of the Indian salt industry. Studies have shown that salt is one of the oldest ingredients in food and has played an important role in the history of human civilization. It is an important component of food additives and is more important than food additives. Coastal areas of India, especially the states of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, use seawater for salt production. The ocean is an inexhaustible source of salt. The three states, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan account for 70%, 15% and 12% of the total salt production in the country. These states also meet the needs of the nation. India is self-sufficient in salt production. More than 95% of salt is produced by the private sector, making it a significant part of India's salt industry. The public sector accounts for only two to three per cent of the total. The mid-western state of Gujarat accounts for about three-quarters of India's annual salt production. The revenue from salt exports is more than the import price. This shows the financial advantage arising from the cost of importing and exporting Indian salt. The Indian salt industry faces many challenges including climate change and health and welfare issues for salt workers: unpredictable weather conditions such as floods and unseasonal rains, short salt seasons and reduced production needs. Therefore, policies need to be implemented properly to mitigate these problems.

SPLASH Into Fitness: A Swimming-Based Pilot Intervention to Promote Healthful Identities and Behaviors Among Preadolescent Girls.

Girls' physical activity and healthful eating behaviors decline throughout adolescence. These trajectories may be linked to the underdevelopment of exercise and healthful eater identities. Youth programs might consider prioritizing identity development as an innovative health promotion strategy, especially during the formative preadolescent life stage. This study examines healthful identities and behaviors among a sample of preadolescent girls who participated in SPLASH, a multicomponent youth program consisting of identity development ("I am an exerciser"; "I am a healthy eater"), physical activity, and healthful eating. SPLASH was piloted in a community-based recreational facility in the Midwest United States. Participants had differing levels of program access: all girls (N=32, age=10.6±0.8) attended a 1-week summer day camp, and a subset (n=16) received supplementary access to a 10-week eHealth program. Using a feasibility framework, we examined SPLASH's (1) preliminary efficacy, (2) implementation, and (3) acceptability. Girls' exercise identities and behaviors improved following camp participation. At follow-up, those in the camp-plus-eHealth group reported greater improvements in physical activity enjoyment relative to girls in the camp-only group. SPLASH is a promising identity-focused health promotion program for preadolescent girls. Community support and family engagement facilitated this pilot study. Programmatic impact should be assessed in additional communities.

Optimizing Tongue Fluid Sampling and Testing Protocols for Enhanced PRRSV Isolation from Perinatal Swine Mortalities

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) remains a major concern for swine health. Isolating PRRSV is essential for identifying infectious viruses and for vaccine formulation. This study evaluated the potential of using tongue fluid (TF) from perinatal piglet mortalities for PRRSV isolation. Four collection protocols were tested: extracting TF from fresh tissues using phosphate-buffered saline (PBS group), extracting TF from fresh tissues using virus transportation medium (VTM group), extracting TF from freeze-thawed tissue (freeze-thaw group), and using tissue homogenates (homogenate group). Two cell lines (ZMAC and MARC-145) and primary alveolar macrophages (PAM) were evaluated for their effect on successful PRRSV isolation. An eligible PRRSV-positive unstable breeding herd in Midwestern USA was chosen for the study. Tongues were collected in 20 batches (~30 mortalities per batch). Within each batch, each tongue tissue was cut into four quarters, with each quarter randomly assigned to one of the four collection protocols and RT-qPCR tested. Virus isolation (VI) was attempted on 10 batches. The mean RT-qPCR cycle threshold (Ct) values for the PBS, VTM, freeze-thaw, and homogenate groups were 21.9, 21.8, 22.6, and 24.8, respectively. The VI success rate was 22.6%, 12.1%, 2.8%, and 2.8% in the PBS, VTM, freeze-thaw, and homogenate groups, respectively. The probability of successful VI was 3.1% and 21.0% in the MARC-145 and ZMAC cell lines, respectively, and 4.8% in the PAM cells. TF from perinatal mortalities is an option for PRRS VI, aiding in PRRSV monitoring and control programs.

Postemergence giant ragweed management as affected by soil and cover crop management, soybean planting time, and preemergence herbicide application

Abstract Early soybean planting and cover crop adoption in the US Midwest prompt investigation into the impact of these practices on weed community dynamics and best management practices. While previous research has explored different aspects of giant ragweed control, the specific integration among soil management practices, including cover crop adoption, soybean planting timing, and herbicide use, has not been thoroughly investigated. This study assessed soil management, soybean planting time, and PRE herbicide application on giant ragweed control and soybean yield in Wisconsin and Nebraska in 2022 and 2023. The study included a factorial arrangement of four soil management treatments [conventional tillage, no-till, and fall-planted cereal rye early terminated and terminated at planting (planting green)]; two soybean planting times; and two PRE herbicide treatments (PRE and no PRE). Postemergence (POST) herbicides were applied when ∼50% of giant ragweed plants within each treatment reached ∼10 cm in height. In Nebraska, cereal rye and tillage treatments without a PRE had at least 67% lower giant ragweed density than no-till at POST. In no-till, densities were at least 60% lower with PRE compared to no PRE. In Wisconsin, cereal rye did not reduce giant ragweed density at POST compared to no-till, likely due to relatively low biomass accumulation. In contrast, delayed soybean planting reduced giant ragweed density for most treatments but lowered soybean yield in no-till and planting green treatments. The PRE herbicides had either no or positive effects on reducing giant ragweed density and increasing soybean yield. Overall, this study suggests that soil management and soybean planting timing are crucial for effective giant ragweed management in Wisconsin, where biotypes with a long emergence window during the spring and summer are present, while in Nebraska, soil management and soybean planting timing are less critical due to giant ragweed biotypes with an early and short emergence window in the spring.

ECB-WQ: A Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR)-Eastern Corn Belt node field-scale water quality dataset.

The Eastern Corn Belt (ECB) node of the Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network is representative of row crop agricultural production systems in the poorly drained, humid regions of the US Midwest and a significant focus for addressing water quantity and quality concerns affecting Lake Erie and the Gulf of Mexico. The objectives of this paper were to (1) present relevant background information and collection methodology, (2) provide summary analyses of measured data, and (3) provide details for accessing the dataset and discuss potential database applications. The ECB-water quality (ECB-WQ) database is comprised of hydrology and water quality data from three privately owned farms in Northwest Ohio and Northeast Indiana and is available for download through the United States Department of Agriculture Ag Data Commons. The dataset includes information on site characteristics (drainage area and soil type), field management (fertilizer application, planting rate, and yield), and daily discharge and measured nutrient concentrations from surface and subsurface tile drainage outlets. Discharge and water quality vary widely across the ECB and are paramount to developing innovative management strategies that balance crop production goals with environmental targets. Discharge is generally greater from subsurface tile drainage compared to surface runoff. Phosphorus concentrations are typically greater in the surface runoff compared to tile drainage, while nitrogen concentrations are greater in subsurface tile drainage. The ECB-WQ database was developed to better facilitate understanding of water quantity and quality within this unique, systematic, artificially tile-drained region and is critical for understanding implications of field management practices, quantifying environmental and production processes, constraining hydrology/water quality models, and informing future water quality policies.

Unlocking the phosphorus circularity potential of corn belt watersheds with biorefinery phosphorus recovery incentives.

As global phosphorus (P) stores rapidly decline, P fed algal blooms continue to threaten critical freshwater resources across the globe. In the Midwestern United States (US), particularly the Corn Belt, biorefineries could play a key role in addressing this issue. By recovering P from the byproducts of ethanol production these facilities could reduce the P content of distillers grain feed, thereby reducing P excreted in manures. This process could potentially divert P away from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and toward renewable P (rP) fertilizer production utilizing the recovered P. To foster the inclusion of P recovery incentives in state nutrient reduction strategies, this study elucidates the cascading benefits of rP recovery from corn biorefineries in watersheds across six Upper Midwestern states. Incentivizing P recovery in watersheds that contain both biorefineries and CAFOs could foster the production of 107,500 metric tons (MT) rP fertilizer while diverting 26,800MTP from CAFO wastes each year, nearly double the estimated P reduction potential for municipal wastewater in the analysis region. These estimates can inform nutrient reduction analysts and policymakers in determining P load reduction potential. To further guide incentive strategies, four priority watersheds are highlighted to illustrate P reduction and circularity typologies across the region.

Assessing the impacts of stakeholder involvement in long-term agricultural experiments via a case study in the upper US Midwest.

Agricultural researchers are increasingly encouraged to engage with stakeholders to improve the usefulness of their projects, but iterative research on the design and assessment of stakeholder engagement is scarce. The USDA Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network recognizes the importance of effective engagement in increasing the utility of information and technologies for future agriculture. Diverse stakeholders and researchers at the Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) LTAR site co-designed the KBS LTAR Aspirational Cropping System Experiment, a process that provides a testing ground and interdisciplinary collaborations to develop theory-driven assessment protocols for continuous stakeholder engagement. Informed by prior work, we designed an assessment protocol that aims to measure participant preferences, experiences, and perceived benefits at various stages of this long-term project. Two online surveys were conducted in 2021 and 2022 among participants of LTAR engagement events at KBS, using a pre-post design, resulting in 125 total responses. Survey respondents had positive perceptions of the collaboratively designed research experiment. They had a strong expectation that the research would generate conservation and environmental advances while also informing policy and programs. Respondents also indicated a desire to network with other stakeholders. The research team noted the significant role of a long-term stakeholder engagement specialist in inviting participants from diverse backgrounds and creating an open and engaging experience. Overall, results highlight an interdisciplinary path of intentional and iterative engagement and evaluation to build a program that is adaptive and responsive to stakeholder needs.

Leptospira gorisiae sp. nov, L. cinconiae sp. nov, L. mgodei sp. nov, L. milleri sp. nov and L. iowaensis sp. nov: five new species isolated from water sources in the Midwestern United States.

Isolates of Leptospira spp. were cultured from water sources at five different sites in central Iowa in the Midwestern United States and characterized by whole-genome sequencing. Isolates were helix-shaped and motile. Genome sequence analyses determined that the isolates could be clearly distinguished from other species described in the genus Leptospira and included one species that belonged to the pathogen subclade P1, one species that belonged to the pathogen subclade P2 and three species that belonged to the saprophyte subclade S1. The names Leptospira gorisiae sp. nov. (type strain WS92.C1T=NVSL-WS92.C1T=KIT0303T), Leptospira cinconiae sp. nov. (type strain WS58.C1T=NVSL-WS58.C1T=KIT0304T), Leptospira mgodei sp. nov. (type strain WS4.C2T=NVSL.WS4.C2T=KIT0305T), Leptospira iowaensis sp. nov. (type strain WS39.C2T=NVSL-WS39.C2T=KIT0306T) and Leptospira milleri sp. nov. (type strain WS60.C2T=NVSL-WS60.C2T=KIT0307T) are proposed.

Prevalence and predictors of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal cancer in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis.

Data on Barrett's esophagus (BE) and esophageal cancer (EC) outcomes in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) are limited. We aimed to determine the risk of prevalent BE (<1year after endoscopy), incident BE (≥1year after endoscopy), and incident EC in patients with versus without EoE, and to identify predictors of BE/EC in EoE patients. We identified adult patients in the Merative MarketScan Database who underwent first-time upper endoscopy between 2008 and 2020. Chi-square analysis compared proportions of patients with versus without EoE who had BE or EC. Multivariate Cox regression determined associations between demographics/comorbidities and incident BE/EC in the EoE cohort, adjusting for established BE risk factors. Among 2,947,003 patients who underwent upper endoscopy, 20,588 patients (0.70%) had EoE (mean age 40.6years, 63.8% male, gastroesophageal reflux disease in 44.9%). Prevalent BE, incident BE, and incident EC was found in 1.03%, 0.57%, and 0.06% of patients with EoE versus 1.06%, 0.54%, and 0.05% of patients without EoE, respectively (P = 0.13, 0.21, and 0.36, respectively). Among individuals with EoE, older age, male sex, presence of a hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and location in North Central or Southern USA were independently associated with incident BE. Older age and prevalent BE were independently associated with incident EC. BE/EC risk in EoE is comparable to that of the baseline population undergoing upper endoscopy. Our findings support current understanding that EoE is not associated with an increased risk of BE/EC and reinforce that conventional BE screening strategies can be applied in patients with EoE.

The feasibility of implementing a digital pregnancy and postpartum support program in the Midwestern United States and the association with maternal and infant health

The feasibility of implementing a digital pregnancy and postpartum support program in the Midwestern United States and the association with maternal and infant health

Men's influence of maternal substance use before, during, and after pregnancy: A qualitative study of men with criminal-legal involvement.

While the adverse effects of substance use during pregnancy are well-established, the impact men with criminal-legal involvement who use substances have on their partner's substance-using behaviors is not well characterized. We aim to understand men's experiences and perspectives about how their substance use impacts romantic partner substance use in the preconception period, before a potential or actual pregnancy. We conducted semi-structured interviews with men residing in a transition center in the Midwestern US with a substance use disorder (SUD) who partnered with women. Interview questions were informed by the Health Belief Model (HBM) and included questions about perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy in relation to substance use and pregnancy. Participants were asked about desired SUD interventions. Transcripts were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach. Thirty participants were interviewed (mean age=37, SD=10.3). Major themes were mapped onto HBM constructs: (1) Partners did not consider the chance of pregnancy while using together; (2) using together can escalate use before/during pregnancy; (3) quitting can strengthen relationships; (4) lack of preconception health knowledge inhibits quitting; (5) having a pregnant partner may promote quitting; and (6) knowledge of potential negative outcomes increases confidence in quitting. Men in carceral settings face multi-factorial barriers to substance use cessation and have differing perspectives on the impact of their use on their partner in relation to potential or actual pregnancy. Clinicians should consider interpersonal relationship factors that may impede or promote substance use when caring for people with SUD.

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner's Confidence to Care for Black, Indigenous, and Transgender Survivors: Development and Preliminary Content Validity of Practice Vignettes.

This paper developed and used practice vignettes to understand sexual assault nurse examiners' perceptions of self-confidence to provide care for Black, Indigenous, and transgender sexual violence survivors. Sexual assault nurse examiners are uniquely positioned to provide patient-centered postsexual violence health care but not all sexual assault nurse examiners receive culturally specific and identity-affirming training. Black/African American, Indigenous, and/or transgender people disproportionately experience sexual violence but may receive poorer health care after sexual violence compared with white cisgender people. Understanding sexual assault nurse examiner confidence to provide this care is paramount to improving sexual assault nurse examiner training and patient outcomes. In collaboration with a nurse advisory board, researchers developed and validated 3 case vignettes that manipulated the race or gender of the patient. A fourth previously validated vignette that assessed sexual assault nurse examiner care for a transgender patient also was administered. Sexual assault nurse examiners then answered questions about their confidence to provide (1) a patient-centered safety plan, (2) patient-centered referrals, and (3) care without personal biases influencing care. The current study used a cross-sectional online self-report survey with 4 sexual assault nurse examiner patient vignettes randomized across a convenience sample of 70 sexual assault nurse examiners recruited from a midwestern state. On average, sexual assault nurse examiners rated the vignettes as realistic. Sexual assault nurse examiners reported lower confidence to develop a patient-centered safety plan, provide care without allowing personal biases to influence that care, and provide patient-centered referrals for Black, Indigenous, and/or transgender survivors compared with white cisgender survivors. Training and mentorship programs could improve sexual assault nurse examiner confidence to provide trauma- and violence-informed care for Black, Indigenous, and transgender survivors, and vignettes could be used to measure changes in confidence owing to training.

Available land for cellulosic biofuel production: a supply chain centered comparison

Abstract The land that is potentially available to produce dedicated cellulosic bioenergy crops, often referred to as ‘marginal’ land, depends heavily on the underlying assumptions used to classify and identify it. In this study we compare three definitions and types of marginal land to identify the interactions between the bioenergy landscape and the logistics networks needed for the biofuel supply chain. Typical studies of the scale, cost, and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential of cellulosic biofuel take a land-centered approach which may neglect to account for the trade-offs between establishing bioenergy crops and the supply chain design decisions needed to allow those crops to be converted to liquid fuel. A mathematical programming approach is used to minimize the total annualized cost of a large-scale field-to-product system producing bioethanol in the USA midwest. Results show that a high concentration of marginal land leads to efficient systems and that the bioenergy landscape design becomes increasingly important with a higher emphasis on GHG mitigation. Additionally, targeted landscape design (including fertilization) with a focus on fields with high soil carbon sequestration potential can greatly reduce the system-wide GHG emissions for only a small increase in the unit cost of biofuel.

Short Communication Exploring malacological observations on iNaturalist: Citizen science as a tool for monitoring freshwater mussels

The aim of the present work was to determine the presence of freshwater mussels on the citizen science platform, iNaturalist, and present novel information on both threatened species and non-threatened species within the US. I assessed whether observations among these groups increased annually and states in which observations were high. Using this approach, I noted an increase for the amount of observations, and overall there were more observations for least concern species, with primarily Midwestern states having more observations, with the exception of Alabama and Texas, and South Dakota which had a large number of observations. Subsequently, this citizen science platform and online database may provide an avenue for future malacological monitoring across Unionidae mussels and serve as a companion to more traditional field surveys in aquatic ecosystems.

Translingual negotiation in mixed‐gender communication: An analysis of the interactions in research group meetings in engineering

AbstractAs a practical theory of language, translanguaging refers not only to speakers' use of multiple languages, but also to the deployment of other semiotic resources and artifacts in communication. To examine the use of semiotic resources and translingual negotiation strategies in STEM communication, this study explores the intersectionality of translingual communication and gender in a research group consisting of international engineering scientists (including doctoral students, postdoc and faculty) at a public university in the Midwestern United States. Using a translingual approach, we analyze the semiotic resources and translingual negotiation strategies adopted by these engineering scientists to resolve trouble‐in‐interaction and claim agency in group interaction. Data include eight audiovisual recordings of research group meetings (RGMs), transcribed following the conventions in conversation analysis for verbal and nonverbal communication. A turn‐by‐turn analysis of the chosen excerpts reveals: (1) members of the group adopt negotiation strategies to collaboratively resolve trouble‐in‐interaction, including entextualization (visualization in particular), recontextualization, and various verbal and nonverbal interactional strategies. In employing these strategies, they also skillfully integrate various semiotic repertoires such as gestures, body movements, environmental artifacts, and board work to facilitate the resolution of trouble‐in‐interaction and (2) female scientists adopt envoicing and interactional strategies to regain the floor to speak and display resistance when interrupted or ignored by their male colleagues. These findings suggest that while we embrace the affordances of a translingual orientation to STEM communication as it values the entire linguistic and semiotic repertoires of international STEM scientists, we should also acknowledge the existence of microaggressive acts against female members in RGMs. A more equitable and inclusive environment for intellectual engagement and group communication in STEM fields can only be created through the collaborative efforts of individuals, groups, and institutions.

Detection of a Reassortant Swine‐ and Human‐Origin H3N2 Influenza A Virus in Farmed Mink in British Columbia, Canada

ABSTRACTIntroductionIn December 2021, influenza A viruses (IAV) were detected in a population of farmed mink in British Columbia, Canada. Circulation of IAVs in farmed mink populations has raised public health concerns due to similarities between mustelid and human respiratory physiology, potentially facilitating spillover of zoonotic influenzas from livestock.MethodsOropharyngeal specimens were collected from mink as part of a surveillance program for SARS‐CoV‐2. Diagnostic RT‐qPCR testing was performed using a multiplex assay targeting SARS‐CoV‐2, IAV, influenza B virus and respiratory syncytial virus. Whole viral genome sequencing was conducted on IAV‐positive specimens, followed by phylogenetic analysis with other animal and human IAV genome sequences from large global databases.ResultsIAVs were detected in 17 of 65 mink by RT‐qPCR. Based on genomic sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, these IAVs were subtyped as H3N2s that originated from reassortment of swine H3N2 (clade 1990.4 h), human seasonal H1N1 (pdm09) and swine H1N2 (clade 1A.1.1.3). This reassortant has been subsequently observed in swine in several Midwest American states, as well as in swine and turkeys in Ontario, suggesting its spillover into farmed mink in British Columbia was incidental to its broader dissemination in North American swine populations.ConclusionsThese detections reaffirm the need for extensive genomic surveillance of IAVs in swine populations to monitor reassortments that might become public health concerns. They also highlight the need for closer surveillance of IAVs in mink to preserve animal health, protect agricultural interests, and monitor potential zoonotic threats.

The current distribution and threats of some small mammals with high conservation value from the orders Eulipotyphla, Chiroptera and Rodentia in Vietnam

Vietnam is recognized as one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Recent studies have uncovered numerous new mammal species, highlighting the significant biodiversity of Vietnam not only within the region but globally. However, these new species, along with established ones, are currently affected by climate change and human activities, which have led to the decline of certain populations and placed some species at risk of extinction. Since 2001, our surveys and assessments of the current status and distribution of small mammals from the orders Eulipotyphla, Chiroptera, and Rodentia have identified 48 species that are prioritized for conservation with varying conservation levels based on their actual status, especially those with less individual numbers in population, narrow distribution ranges, and those still affected by human activities. The research has identified 17 priority sites for habitat conservation, including two in the Northeast, three in the Northwest, four in the North Central region, three in the Central Highlands, and five in the Mekong Delta.

Feasibility and preliminary effects of the mindful healthy family project among rural families

ABSTRACT Background/purpose: Rural adults and children are at higher risk for overweight and obesity. However, there are relatively few lifestyle modification programs available for these high-risk families, mainly because of the difficulty in reaching them. This mindfulness-based motivational interviewing (MM-based-MI) pilot aimed to improve parents’ healthy eating index (HEI), collective family efficacy, family satisfaction, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms as well as parent–child dyads’ eating patterns, physical activity (PA), and body mass index (BMI). Methods: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in the Midwestern US to examine the feasibility (enrollment, attendance, and attrition), acceptability, and preliminary effects of an MM-based-MI intervention that contained nine sessions of health coaching (1-on-1), while the active-control included nine emailed health handouts sent over an 18-week period. Results: A total of 46 parents (29 intervention, 17 control; Mage = 38.5 years, 85% female) participated. The enrollment rate, intervention attendance rate, and attrition rate were 12.6%, 79.8%, and 23.9% respectively. Although not statistically significant, compared to the control, the MM-based-MI intervention showed positive effects on improving parents’ HEI in terms of increasing total HEI score (Cohen’s d = 0.43), vegetable intake (d = 0.41), greens/beans (d = 0.59), protein food (d = 0.82), and self-efficacy in exercise (d = 0.21), as well as decreasing total calories (Kcal, d = −0.58), added sugar (d = −0.50), and depressive symptoms (d = −0.42), while controlling for marital status. Controlling for age, sex, and marital status, intervention children had greater improvement in increasing fiber (d = 0.75) and protein (d = 0.72) intake compared to the active-control group. Moreover, parents in both groups reported improvement (small to large effects) in ↑mindful eating, ↑collective family efficacy, ↑family satisfaction, and ↓perceived stress over time. Conclusions: Despite some limitations (small sample size, virtual at home measurement), our results support the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of this Mindful Healthy Family program on potentially mitigating some obesogenic behaviors among rural parent–child dyads. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05324969.